Internal/External Job Announcement

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding. 

 For nearly 60 years, CRS has taken the lead in responding to natural and man-made disasters affecting Ethiopia's most vulnerable communities. Moving beyond emergency response, CRS' disaster mitigation and recovery projects in drought and flood-prone areas have rebuilt individual and community assets through non-food aid in the form of agriculture, livestock, health, nutrition, and water and sanitation assistance. CRS's humanitarian work in Ethiopia also provides livelihoods support to farmers and entrepreneurs, promotes gender equality, mobilizes for immunization and mitigates the impact of HIV.

As part of CRS family, you will join the more than 5000 strong and vibrant individuals working globally to accomplish the mission of CRS. CRS/Ethiopia invites you, the qualified candidate, to apply for the following position;

 Background

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of Food for Peace (FFP) is seeking applications for funding for development food security activities in Ethiopia from 2020-2025. Drawing on previous experience in managing USAID Food for Peace (FFP) awards in Ethiopia, as well as considerable experience managing and implementing FFP awards globally, CRS will be submitting a proposal in response to the anticipated 2020 FFP Development Food Security Activity (DFSA) Request for Applications (RFA). The proposed program will involve a multi-sectoral response to build resilience and address food insecurity and malnutrition in Ethiopia, with focus on Oromia.

Job Summary

The Collaboration, Learning and Accountability (CLA) Lead will provide technical advice, guidance, and support to a wide range of program design and implementation issues in line with CRS’ program quality principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices to advance the delivery of high-quality programming to the poor and vulnerable. S/he will promote coordination, collaboration and continuous learning with other activities in the targeted areas of Ethiopia. You will develop and manage a system that captures, analyzes and disseminates learning and take the lead in collecting best practices and lessons learned and organize relevant reviews of program activities.  S/he will play a critical role in incorporating refinement activities and learning into implementation. This includes but is not limited to US Government, Government of Ethiopia, international donors, multilateral organizations and private sector investments.

Job Responsibilities

·         Design and manage the project learning and adaptation strategy, system and tools with a focus on promoting knowledge acquisition, management, documentation, dissemination and learning at multiple levels. Help ensure a cross-sectoral approach integrating gender, youth protection mainstreaming, and disaster risk reduction.

·         Provide technical solutions to the food security program on-site, for strategic planning and how to best apply program design and implementation standards, best practices, partnership principles, tools, and monitoring and evaluation, ensuring high-quality implementation.

·         Contribute to knowledge management and learning through collecting and analyzing program data. Lead and document active, intentional and adaptive learning within and across activity interventions, incorporate refinement activities and learning into implementation. Include active, intentional and adaptive learning within and across interventions

·         Ensure that data and experiential learning with a focus on adult needs are consistently applied throughout the activity life cycle. Use evidence, activity data, and active learning to better examine the functions, role and nuance of formal and informal institutions and social dynamics.

·         Establish and manage dynamic feedback systems to capture experiential learning and unintended consequences,

·         Foster collaboration across systems, initiatives, teams or organizations.

·          Lead regular Theory of change assessment, review and revision exercises, ensuring that multiple levels of CRS and partner staff engage, contribute to, and understand the Theory of Change and how it guides programming.

·         Establish and maintain relationships with donors, peer organizations, research and other institutions. Ensure appropriate and continued coordination and joint-planning with other USAID and other donor activities (specifically the USAID food security and resilience portfolio), host-government initiatives, and private sector engagement.

·         Ensure robust partner engagement and consultative processes with communities, local government, civil society, other donor funded projects, local researchers and academics.

·         Contribute to capacity strengthening of project staff and partners through helping develop learning and training strategies and agendas/curriculums, conducting trainings and workshops, and mentoring and coaching to CP staff.

Education and Experience

·         An advanced degree (PhD or Master’s preferred) in communications, development studies, applied sociology, anthropology, or other relevant programs.

·         At least 5 years relevant work experience of progressively increasing Learning and Coordination responsibilities in international development projects is required. Previous field experience in low-resource environments highly desired.

·         Demonstrated application of technical principles and concepts in facilitating learning and knowledge sharing processes; establishing and managing dynamic feedback systems to capture experiential learning and unintended consequences.

·         Experience and skills in networking and relations with large donors such as USAID/FFP, USAID/FTF preferred as well as peer organizations, faith-based and civil society partners.

·         Previous experience providing technical assistance and developing successful proposals for external donor funding is required.

·         Experience on innovative learning practice including Internal Change Management for CLA, Evaluative thinking and Adaptive management.

·         Skills in analyzing, interpreting and communicating information to a wide range or stakeholders, including producing publications and organizing public events.

·         Experience in mentoring, coaching, facilitation and training applying adult learning principles and practices.

·         Experience with program monitoring and evaluation, including developing and applying data collection tools and methodologies, data analysis, and data presentation, and oversight of researchers or evaluators.

·         Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information and budget management, knowledge-sharing networks.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent relationship management skills with ability to influence and get buy-in from people not under direct supervision and to work with individuals in diverse geographical and cultural settings.
• Strong strategic, analytical, problem-solving and systems thinking skills with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English required; ability to communicate in Amharic a plus.
• Strong presentation, facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills
• Proactive, resourceful and results-oriented

Desired Foreign Language: Amharic

Travel Required: Ability to travel for up to 50% of time throughout Ethiopia.

Key Working Relationships

Internal:          Deputy Chief of Party, M&E Lead, All Technical Leads, All Departments of the Country Program, relevant Regional and HQ Technical Advisors.

External:         Partner organizations, the Church, international and local NGOs, Research institutions

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

·         Strategic Mindset

·         Integrity

·         Accountability & Stewardship

·         Builds Relationships

·         Develops Talent

·         Continuous Improvement & Innovation

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.